Officers Deserve Our Thanks – Not Armchair Quarterbacking
The officers responded to a call for help concerning an out-of-control individual who appeared to be under the influence of drugs and/or mentally disturbed.
As a father of a Milwaukee Police officer, as a long-serving elected official of the City of Milwaukee for 18 years, and as a member and/or chair of the Public Safety and Health Committee for nearly all of those years, I know better than most the challenges faced daily by the good men and women of the Milwaukee Police Department.
This is why I am absolutely dumbfounded by comments I am reading from others about the arrest Wednesday of a man near N. 51 st St. and W. Capitol Dr.
The officers responded to a call for help concerning an out-of-control individual who appeared to be under the influence of drugs and/or mentally disturbed. In my view from watching video of the struggle the man put up against the responding officers I am incredibly impressed with the restraint displayed by the officers.
Sources tell me that even witnesses at the scene expressed the same sentiment – that officers acted with restraint under extremely difficult circumstances.
The man was exhibiting almost super-human strength in struggling and striking out at officers. Officers used precision strikes to the man’s legs in an attempt to bring him under control (I’m told these strikes are usually 95% effective in controlling subjects) but the strikes had no impact.
The man sent three police officers to the hospital, including one with a broken nose and a blood-stained uniform.
I say ‘Thank God’ there are people willing to do this work and willingly subject themselves to this kind of situation and treatment. I am proud to stand with the men and women of the Milwaukee Police Department who put their lives and safety on the line for us on a daily basis.
I am NOT proud of the armchair quarterbacks – including members of the command staff, inspectors, elected officials and even Chief Morales – who second guess the officers’ actions as they put their lives on the line. I would love to see some of these command staff members, the Chief and elected officials step into those shoes at 51st and Capitol and see how they would react.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
Mentioned in This Press Release
Recent Press Releases by State Rep. Bob Donovan
When a professional NBA player jumps over the seats to ruff up a fan over a thrown drink (Malice in the Palace 2004)…he doesnt get fired. Defenders say it is because his emotions are running high, and it is hard to settle down quickly after playing as a professional player when his feelings get hurt. Yet when an officer chases a suspect fleeing Police at 70 harrowing miles an hour on residential streets, has a gun pointed at him, or someone punches and fights with him while resisting a lawful order, he is not allowed to let his emotions get the best of him…or he/she will be fired. If a Police officer uses a racial slur, they will certainly be fired. But if a State Senator uses one, almost a month later [she] is still on the job. Even if she pays the fine, she will still keep her job. A Police Officer would not. Although all of the above incidents are wrong, I guess there really is a double set of standards when it comes to how we accept and treat offenses like this.